The playboy county magistrate

The sound of horses' hooves gradually faded into the wind. Li Xuanzhi looked at the messy hoofprints and scattered broken arrows on the ground, and slowly withdrew his gaze.

"Return to the city, tally the spoils of war, and properly settle the captured enemy soldiers."

"Yes, sir!"

Upon entering the city gate, one finds the city orderly and peaceful. The streets and alleys are quiet, showing no signs of the chaos caused by war.

The villagers in several villages near the desolate plains on the west side, upon hearing the news of the enemy's provocation from beyond the pass and the triumphant return of the government troops, all came out of their homes and stood on both sides of the streets, looking around.

The border people, who had long suffered from raids from the northern deserts and lived in constant fear, now looked at the orderly and imposing army and the upright young border governor, and their eyes finally lit up with peace and hope.

Pei Qingyuan had already ordered her men to prepare, and they were waiting outside the main tent.

Upon hearing of the war outside the Great Wall and learning that he had not been injured and had easily thwarted the enemy's schemes, firmly guarding the country's borders and protecting the people, the huge weight that had been hanging over my heart was finally lifted.

She quickly stepped forward, reached out to brush the dust off his body, her eyes gentle and clear, and said softly, "It's good that you're back. My husband, you've had a long journey."

Li Xuanzhi nodded slightly and followed her into the main tent.

Li Xuanzhi sat upright at his desk, sorting out various matters concerning the border.

On the table were neatly laid out household registers, grain storage accounts, and detailed rules for trade, all of which were important border matters that he had ordered officials to compile urgently during the day.

Pei Qingyuan sat quietly to the side, grinding the ink for him.

"Today's battle may seem to have forced the northern deserts back and stabilized the situation, but the hidden dangers have not been eliminated."

Li Xuanzhi picked up his pen and pondered for a moment before slowly speaking. "Batu's defeat was too humiliating; Princess Ning'an will certainly not give up so easily."

At this point, Li Xuanzhi paused.

"This is a military camp, and it's all men here, so it's not convenient for you to stay here. Tomorrow morning, someone will escort you and the other ladies who came with us from the capital to the mansion in the city. I'll come home to be with you whenever I have time."

Pei Qingyuan smiled and nodded in agreement, after all, it was indeed not suitable for the few of them to stay in the military camp.

Li Xuanzhi reached out and ruffled her hair. "I am a border inspector, but not a military general guarding the border. Naturally, I won't stay in the army forever. Don't worry."

Pei Qingyuan nodded obediently again, then quickly frowned and said softly:

"Princess Ning'an has always preferred to do things in secret and make plans behind the scenes. If she can't win in a direct confrontation, she will inevitably resort to even more insidious methods."

"Hmm." Li Xuanzhi lightly touched the paper with the tip of his pen, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

"Her spies in the capital have not yet been fully utilized, and her probes at the border have all failed. Next, she will most likely stop ordering people to harass the people and instead use political maneuvering to sow discord among our border troops. She will probably choose to find a way to sever cooperation between civil and military officials."

Throughout history, civil and military officials have often misunderstood each other, leading to frequent verbal disputes.

The vast territory of the Dayong Dynasty has been plagued by a situation where civil and military officials do not understand or respect each other, a situation that has persisted since the early days of the dynasty.

If they are successfully provoked, it will indeed be a very troublesome situation.

Unlike the northern desert, where it's said that there aren't many intelligent people, a bunch of brutes listen to the so-called great shaman who can communicate with heaven and earth, and they really do hit wherever they're told, without any hesitation.

I heard that Princess Ning'an's arrival in Dayong was something that happened after the great shaman received a divine revelation and reported it to the royal court.

It is said that the great shaman told Princess Ning'an that a person who could rewrite the fate of the northern desert kingdom had emerged in Dayong.

Even in the capital, a place far removed from the war, the civil and military factions could argue fiercely.

Moreover, most of the soldiers stationed on the border were local garrison troops who had been stationed in harsh and cold places for many years, and there was already a gap between them and the civil officials in the court.

Military generals value battlefield combat, while civil officials prioritize rules and the well-being of the people. Their differing stances and considerations make them easy targets for manipulation and sowing discord.

"Then we need to take precautions in advance, soothe their hearts, and find ways to prevent the rift from widening, and it would be best to repair it as much as possible." Pei Qingyuan immediately understood her meaning.

"I already have arrangements," Li Xuanzhi replied calmly. "Tomorrow, I will summon all the soldiers to reward those who have rendered meritorious service and to provide relief to the wounded. I will also investigate the deep-seated problems within the army, and I will personally come to understand the hardships of those guarding the border. Stabilizing the morale of the troops is the first barrier to breaking the deadlock."

……

Meanwhile, outside the Northern Desert Royal Court, inside the temporary palace.

The night was deep, and the candlelight inside the tent flickered. A cold wind blew in, causing the light to flash and making the room feel eerily cold.

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert sat upright in the main seat, dressed in a magnificent Northern Desert brocade robe. His face was cold, and his eyes held a lingering hostility.

The man kneeling before the desk, not daring to raise his head, was the very man who had risked his life to return from the border during the day, bringing back news of defeat.

"You're saying... Batu led a thousand cavalry to the border, feigning a retreat to lure the enemy, then launched a flanking attack. He calculated every step, only to be utterly defeated in the end?"

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert spoke in a low voice, yet it carried a chilling intensity, each word spoken with extreme weight.

The man kneeling on the ground trembled all over and kowtowed.

"Your Highness, it is indeed true. The newly appointed border governor of Dayong, Li Xuanzhi, is a man of foresight and quick in his deployment. He did not fall into our trap head-on, and his flanking ambushes completely thwarted our raiding squads. General Batu was caught off guard and suffered nearly a hundred casualties and prisoners, resulting in a crushing defeat."

"The morale of the people and the army in Xiguan, Dayong Town, remained completely unshaken; on the contrary, this great victory made them even more steadfast."

"Useless! They're all useless!"

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert suddenly raised his hand and swept the cups and saucers off the table.

The jade cup shattered on the ground, and the crisp cracking sound startled all the servants in the room, causing them to kneel down and hold their breath, none daring to make the slightest sound.

"Ning An is a good-for-nothing! It's a pity that Father valued her so much, ordering so many elite troops to escort her and accompany her in the capital of Dayong, enduring and plotting. And what was the result? She couldn't shake Dayong in the slightest, and couldn't even deal with Li Xuanzhi!"

After this battle, Li Xuanzhi's prestige among the soldiers and civilians on the border of Dayong instantly soared, and all the rumors and slanders that he and Ning An had spread between the two countries before were completely dispelled.

Months of planning, all for naught, have ultimately benefited others.

After a moment of fury, the Second Prince of the Northern Desert slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed his surging anger.

When he opened his eyes again, the fierceness in them had faded, leaving only a chilling calculation.

A close advisor bowed and whispered, "Second Prince, General Batu's defeat has dampened our army's morale. It's not advisable to provoke a direct confrontation now. Should we temporarily halt our troops, rest, and regroup?"

"Withdraw the troops?" The Second Prince of Mobei sneered, his eyes filled with malice. "What good would withdrawing the troops do me now? Batu is Ning'an's man. If Ning'an's people don't perform their duties well, Father will eventually be disappointed. As long as Ning'an can't withstand the pressure, and Batu can't withstand Father's resentment, Ning'an will no longer have the right to interfere in the future."

"At that time, I will negotiate with Li Xuanzhi and the Emperor of Dayong behind him as the future king of Mobei. Then all the people of Mobei will know that only I, the prince, can lead them to a good life."

"Ning'an is so immature and lacks manners, the Emperor of Dayong will definitely not like her. When the time comes, we will send someone to bring Ning'an back. It just so happens that the Grand Wizard has a simple-minded young son who is still unmarried. Princess Ning'an marrying him would also be a way for our royal court to value the Grand Wizard's abilities."